Equal Pay For Women Took Hit Last Session: Legislator

A Democrat thinks little progress was made in the last legislative session to bridge the wage gap between men and women.

Representative Chris Taylor from Madison is on the Assembly Committee on Labor. She says the Republican-dominated legislature actively moved against some equal pay provisions...

"....but we also say repeals of the equal pay for women where women had access to courts for legal remedies when they weren't paid equally. That really perpetuated unfairness and had nothing to do with creating opportunities..."

Taylor says an equal pay provision passed in the 2009-2010 legislative session. It allowed woman a chance to go to court if they felt they were paid unfairly...

"...the research shows that the threat of a penalty causes companies to engage and embrace more fair policies and make a bigger effor to make sure women are paid equally. So when the Equal Pay Enforcement Act was passed Wisconsin jumped 12 spots in gender earnings...."

She says the state jumped to 24th in the nation, and she says women now earn 78 cents on a dollar to what a man earns.

Those who disagree with Taylor's view say the wage gap exists because of reasons other than discrimination and happens due to other factors in employment.